LIVERPOOL, N.S. - You’ve probably seen them walking all over town: Robert Wolfe, with his three pure-bred huskies attached to his belt loops.

Wolfe is known as the “husky man,” and, until New Year’s Eve, he had four of the dogs. That night, one of his beloved pets died of Lyme disease.

One of his huskies, Redford, is descended from a dog who showed in the Westminster Dog Show and placed in the working dog competition.

Wolfe, who is on disability, spends all of his time with his huskies – and he loves it.

He got his first husky 20 years ago. Unfortunately, he lost that dog to Lyme disease too – the very first case in Queens County.

But he was hooked.

“I’m an outgoing person, I like to be on the go, and these guys love to be on the go,” he says.

Because he has back problems, Wolfe has to attach the dog’s leashes to his belt loops. His disability also prevents him from working, so he spends all his time working his dogs.

“We go sledding, like a dog sled, we just hit the River Road.”

The oldest dog – Evander – is 10; the youngest is two.

Strong bond

Most people would think it would be difficult to have three huge huskies living in their home, but Wolfe says it’s easy.

“You don’t know they’re there. People don’t believe me, I can take these dogs home, I can unhook them, and I can just let them go. If I go in the house, it isn’t two minutes they’re at the door, ‘where are you’?”

The attachment between owner and dogs is so strong, Wolfe says when he has to leave them home to go anywhere – even to Halifax – the dogs will sit by the window and wait for him to come home.

One dog sleeps in the bed with Wolfe and his wife Colleen, while the other two sleep on the floor on each side of the bed.

He says he might get another husky, but, by the time the youngest one is gone, he’ll be in his 70s.

Still, he is enjoying every second he spends with them.

“This is what I do.”

The dogs are well-trained and well-groomed. In fact, the breeder who sold Wolfe the dogs has checked up on them many times – and she’s so happy with the way he’s raised them, she keeps wanting him to take more.

“She can’t believe I do what I do with my dogs.”

Does he have a favourite? Well, yes. Evander Holyfield.

“He’s my buddy. He sits up in that truck and doesn’t move.”

And as far as Lyme disease goes, Wolfe makes sure they are treated, but he’s still worried about the increasing number of black-legged ticks in the area.

He says it was heartbreaking – not just for him and his wife, but also for the three other dogs – when the fourth dog collapsed and died from Lyme disease on New Year's Eve, even though he had been treated. Wolfe says the other dogs whined for weeks, missing their fourth brother.

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